From Active Anime comes an interview with Megumi Uhde, founder of the new fan run convention Zuiichi that takes place on August 3rd:

[AA] What is Zuiichi?
[MU] Zuiichi means "elite" or "foremost" in Japanese. The event focuses on all of the best things in fandom, and with the venue and cuisine, we thought it appropriate. The focus for this year's Zuiichi is trifold - Anime, Lolita and other Japanese fashion, and Joss Whedon. As we grow, we'll incorporate more of the random fandom into the Dreamland fold.

Gardena, CA, April 11, 2008 - Now in the US for the first time in its complete form, DMP is proud to present Tatsuo Yoshida's masterwork. Painstakingly restored and collected into a hardcover, 2-volume set in celebration of Speed Racer's 40th anniversary, Speed Racer Mach Go Go Go introduces these beloved characters to readers new and old. Join Speed Racer, Racer X, Trixie, Spritle and Chim Chim in this face-paced thriller of action and intrigue.

Included in this special edition set is an introduction by the voice of Speed Racer, Peter Fernandez! Peter Fernandez will be on hand at the DMP booth at New York Comic Con to autograph what critics are calling one of the best archival collections published to date.

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BERKELEY, CA - APRIL 11, 2008:

Embark on a journey to the freaky, deviant, and cool world of Emily the Strange, along with Rob Reger, the mastermind behind the beloved cult icon, at New York's Comic Con 2008. Publishing leader Dark Horse Comics is delighted to present unexpected happenings, exciting news, and an all-around, fascinating Emily experience for the media and fans alike.

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24 Hour Complimentary Shuttle Service for Hotel Attendees

Anaheim, California (April 10, 2008) ‹ Attendees registered as guests within the official Anime Expo® 2008 Hotel Room Blocks will be able to access the 24-hour complimentary shuttle service which will provide transportation from all official convention hotels to this year's Anime Expo® 2008 held from July 3-6, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. More information can be found on the website www.anime-expo.org.

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Regular, Hotel Room Block and Reserved Seating Block Attendee Tickets
Available Now

Anaheim, California (April 7, 2008) ‹ Traditional Main Events (including Opening/Closing Ceremonies, Masquerade, Anime Music Video Contest, AX Idol, Charity Auction and concerts) are all accessible free of charge to registered attendees at this year¹s Anime Expo® 2008 held from July 3-6, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. More information can be found on the website www.anime-expo.org.

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According to Active Anime, the 9th International Manga Summit will be taking place in Kyoto, Japan this coming September:

This year's summit theme called "Environmental Innovation", will attempt to pursue and inform society about environmental conservation through manga with three sub-themes focusing on Global Warming Prevention, Dietary Education, and The 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle).

SHAKESPEARE-- THE MANGA EDITION
The classics have never looked so good!

Dreams and schemes! Alliances and betrayals! Murder and mayhem! Passions and poisons! Shakespeare has it all, and now you can experience the action and appreciate the intrigue in Shakespeare-- The Manga Edition!

From the experts at CliffsNotes® (www.cliffsnotes.com) comes a new reference series that takes reading and learning to another level: The Manga Edition. Manga is a Japanese graphic novel, characterized by highly stylized art, which has grown into a worldwide phenomenon.

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Trading Markets is reporting that this year's Tokyo Anime Fair saw record number of exhibitors:

A record 289 animation production houses, toymakers and other companies and groups are exhibiting this year, including 79 from overseas, which is 24 more than last year.

Also, according to the Hollywood Reporter, this year's crowd was 7% larger than last year's:

Registrants at one of the world's largest anime events, staged at the Tokyo Big Sight venue, numbered 12,325, up from the 11,523 recorded a year ago.

The Earth Times has more on the event.

ANN is reporting that Shogakukan plans to celebrate Sho-Comi's 40th anniversary by making 4,000 pages of manga from 400 series available on Yahoo! Comic Japan for free:

The lineup includes Yuu Watase's Absolute Boyfriend, Fuyumi Soryo's Boyfriend, Chie Shinohara's Red River, Kotomi Aoki's Boku wa Imōto ni Koi o Suru, Kazuko Fujita's Rising!. The website is also hosting a free online version of Shojo Comic with new installments added on the 5th and 20th day of every month. This free online "magazine" includes a side story of Boku wa Imōto ni Koi o Suru.

Bandai Entertainment Leads with Most Nominations Followed by Viz Media, Geneon Entertainment, Bandai Visual and FUNimation Entertainment

Anaheim, California (March 27, 2008) ‹ The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), the overseeing body of the nation¹s largest anime/manga convention (Anime Expo®), announced the SPJA Industry Award finalists for 2008 at the SPJA Symposium held at Tokyo International Anime Fair held within Tokyo Big Sight¹s Special Theatre 2(Thursday; March 27, 2008; 16:30-18:00-Tokyo time). More information can be found on the website www.spja.org.

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